Pre-Professional

The Pre-Professional program is designed to provide a solid foundation for those students who desire to pursue a profession that requires post-baccalaureate education. It is a combination of courses offered by the Biology and Chemistry programs that have proven to be best for preparing students for professional schooling. The pre-professional major prepares students for admission to programs including:

• Chiropractic

• Occupational Therapy

• Dentistry

• Optometry

• Medicine

• Pharmacy

• Mortuary

• Veterinary Science

• Physical Therapy

The successful undergraduate has a wide selection of possible careers upon graduation in addition to professional schooling. They may also elect to pursue their education by entering graduate school in pursuit of a masters or a doctoral degree in the areas of chemistry or biology.

Beyond the course work in the sciences, this program offers experiences in research laboratories and the opportunity to participate in lectures and seminars conducted by various regional, national and professional organizations such as the South Dakota Academy of Science. While pursuing this major, each student will develop an in-depth knowledge of biology and chemistry along with becoming competent in the use of current technologies in both fields. General course requirements within the major and the seminars required of all graduates give the student an opportunity to examine contemporary issues in light of their own value systems and the college’s guiding ethical principles.

A key benefit of the program is the high degree of individualized assistance to the student. All of our pre-professional majors get the opportunity to interact with professors in an undergraduate research setting or are exposed to other scientists through off campus research activities. Most of these opportunities are supported with a student stipend. This experience provides an opportunity for the student to present a paper at a state or regional meeting and have an abstract or paper published. Our students are also encouraged to develop relationships with local professionals in their areas of interest and spend hours shadowing or working in a health related setting.